You probably know that buying a toilet is not as cheap as you expected. A toilet is a pretty straightforward purchase but what the heck makes them so expensive?

We’ve assembled the top 15 toilet features list in this definitive guide so you can determine what’s worth the extra cost.

Some are powerful.
Others are comfortable.
And others are just expensively elegant.
But they’re all here.

The Powerful

1. Gravity-Fed The workhorse of toilets. Uses the natural force of the water dropping from the tank into the bowl starts the flushing action. The most common type of toilet and is the least expensive or the flushing power options.
2. Power-Assisted Delivers a powerful flush for the home. Toilets with actual horsepower (some models have 2-hp pump). Look for dual flush option to save as much as 2,000 gallons a year.
3. Pressure-Assisted Aggressively conserves water. Usually found in restaurants but are becoming more popular in homes. You’ll see a cleaner bowl as the water level is higher, no tank sweat with the tank-in-a-tank design. It creates air-pressure in the tank which accounts for the strong but noisy flush. Easy repairs, but more expensive than gravity-fed toilets

The Efficient

4. Single Flush Offers consistent flush with every use and most single flush toilets today save water by using only 1.28 gallons per flush. You’ll get the widest range in design, shape, colour and installation with single-flush toilets.
5. Dual Flush With a button or lever you have the choice between a light or full flush, so you don’t have to use a big flush for little contributions. Dual flush option Is more expensive than single-flush, but it will save more water and save on your water bill. Check if eligible for any consumer rebates.
6. Water Savings & High Efficiency A powerful flush with minimum water usage (1.28 gallons per flush) only comes with a high-efficiency toilet. Investing in a high-efficiency toilet can cost more upfront, but you’ll save +1,000s gallons of water from being flushed and reduce your water bill up to $300-$400 per year.

The Comfortable

7. Comfort Height (17”-19”) Relieves strain on the knees and back. Anyone with mobility problems will appreciate the ease of lowering/raising with a higher seat. Comfort height toilet bowls are 17”-19” high compared to standard 15”. More expensive than standard so have a seat before you buy, especially if you’re vertically challenged. You want your feet to touch the floor.
8. Round vs Egg-Shaped Bowls Round bowls used to be the only shape available. Now there is the elongated bowl shape that is known to be more comfortable for seating but measure carefully. Elongated bowl shapes take up an extra 2” of space. Bowl shape has little bearing on cost.
9. Soft Close Lid Not a padded toilet seat from the 80s but toilets with a soft close lid avoids the harsh bang of a closing seat and saves little fingers. If you are buying the toilet seat separately anyway consider a soft close lid. Depending on the manufacturer they range between $40 – $70.

The Clean

10. 2-piece They say no one wants a two-piece anymore, but we’re talking toilets, not bikinis here. Simple, with a seat and tank you’ll find models at great price points. Tougher to clean with many little nooks but practical to install, esp if you have to transport it up a flight of stairs.
11. 1-piece No seam between tank and bowl makes cleaning and installing easier. Best suits a modern and contemporary bathroom. More expensive than a common 2-piece toilet.
12. Concealed / Skirted Trapways Also called an integrated base toilet. Concealed means a smooth surface just around the trapway. Skirted or integrated is uniform around the entire toilet base. Adds a little to the cost of your toilet but what a difference. So easy to clean and smooth base looks great. Makes you wonder why toilets were even designed with an exposed trapway.

The Expensively Elegant

13. Wall Mount Attached directly to the wall they are space savers for small bathrooms. Tanks are concealed inside the wall, so budget for a pro to install.
14. Tech Clean automatically, toilet seats with personalized bidet seats, smartphone hook-up and led lights. There’s tech for all that. Check out the Numi Kohler toilet tech here.
15. Colour The super seventies saw the burst of avocado green, baby blue and pink toilets, sinks and bathtubs. We advise sticking with white, off-white and bisque colours for toilets. Don’t pay more for a colour that’s going to date your home in 5-10 years.

Don’t spend longer picking out a toilet than your tile.

Now you’ve read the definitive toilet guide, buying your new toilet shouldn’t be so complicated.
Visit our Kitchen & Bath showroom in Bedford to see the range of toilet’s we carry.